Brazilian tilapia producer plans processing expansion

Brazil is seeing rapid rises in tilapia production as farmers struggle to keep pace with demand.

Cristalina, a São Paulo state-based Nile and red tilapia producer, is aiming to add a second processing line at its plant by mid-2018 to keep pace with demand.

The company produces 1,200 to 1,500 metric tons of tilapia annually, and processes slightly more including fish from a network of other producers.

"As we are a family business investing our own capital, we are taking it step by step," Cristalina partner and Sales Manager Mauro Tadashi Nakata told IntraFish.

The company, which employs around 150 people, is benefiting not only from fast-rising tilapia demand in Brazil but also from lower whitefish catches linked to falling stocks.

Brazil is seeing rapid rises in tilapia production as farmers struggle to keep pace with demand, a trend highlighted in IntraFish's forthcoming Brazil Seafood Market Report.

Cristalina has its roots in a popular pastime known as "pesque e pague," a type of leisure park, where Brazilians pay to fish mainly at weekends, taking home catches for the dinner table.

Owner Mauro Yoshio Nakata sold his "pesque e pague" business founded in 1991 to move full-time into aquaculture in 2004.

Cristalina gradually stepped up production, switching from native species to target tilapia at smaller retail chains and foodservice outlets.

The company's most recent processing plant opened in 2016, replacing the original that began operations in 2008.

Cristalina-produced tilapia can be found on shelves at Japanese-style supermarket chain Hirota and others such as Hortifruti and Natural da Terra, as well as on dinner plates at the Outback chain of restaurants.

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Brazilian tilapia producer plans processing expansion

Brazil is seeing rapid rises in tilapia production as farmers struggle to keep pace with demand.

Cristalina, a São Paulo state-based Nile and red tilapia producer, is aiming to add a second processing line at its plant by mid-2018 to keep pace with demand.

The company produces 1,200 to 1,500 metric tons of tilapia annually, and processes slightly more including fish from a network of other producers.

"As we are a family business investing our own capital, we are taking it step by step," Cristalina partner and Sales Manager Mauro Tadashi Nakata told IntraFish.

The company, which employs around 150 people, is benefiting not only from fast-rising tilapia demand in Brazil but also from lower whitefish catches linked to falling stocks.

Brazil is seeing rapid rises in tilapia production as farmers struggle to keep pace with demand, a trend highlighted in IntraFish's forthcoming Brazil Seafood Market Report.

Cristalina has its roots in a popular pastime known as "pesque e pague," a type of leisure park, where Brazilians pay to fish mainly at weekends, taking home catches for the dinner table.

Owner Mauro Yoshio Nakata sold his "pesque e pague" business founded in 1991 to move full-time into aquaculture in 2004.

Cristalina gradually stepped up production, switching from native species to target tilapia at smaller retail chains and foodservice outlets.

The company's most recent processing plant opened in 2016, replacing the original that began operations in 2008.

Cristalina-produced tilapia can be found on shelves at Japanese-style supermarket chain Hirota and others such as Hortifruti and Natural da Terra, as well as on dinner plates at the Outback chain of restaurants.